Working in a professional Test Kitchen definitely comes with numerous perks: for starters, you get to work with food most of the day (than in itself makes it a dream job in my book!), you have a playground to create recipes and new concepts, and you get to talk about food trends and food ideas on a daily basis! The only down side so far? Ironically, my love of food! We are surrounded by so many delicious concoctions that it’s close to impossible not to overindulge. The art of restraint has never been my strongest suit, so this has been quite the challenge.

We are currently working on holiday recipes, re-visiting classics as well as inventing new sweet treats to serve to friends and family this coming holiday season. Between coming up with concepts, testing and re-testing recipes, we’ve gone through dozens and dozens of packs of butter, flour, sugar, cream, chocolate and various nuts.

Whether its a myriad of iced cakes, snowflake-shaped cookies or frosted yule logs, there’s definitely something quite surreal about Christmas food displays in the midst of a warm Toronto spring.Although the kitchen smells like sweet gingerbread and candied fruit, the biggest challenge for me has been not to taste every dish that makes it to the testing table.Or maybe, to resist and have just one bite! I’ve always really loved the whole rituals that surrounds food, and, more often than not, I find it difficult not to order dessert. Needless to say, these past few weeks have been flirting with my sweet though. If you have any advice to share for a healthy balance in a Test Kitchen, I’m all ears!

In the meantime, let me share a deliciously healthy meal I prepared to counteract the sweetness overload at work! I love using edamame in salads and side dishes – they take a few minutes to make, are cooked straight from the freezer, and the non-shelled kind make a satisfying snack when sprinkled with fleur de sel.

Seared Scallops with Edamame
Serves 2

1 cup frozen edamame, shelled
Olive oil
9 fresh scallops2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook edamame according to package instructions. In the meantime, add a drizzle of olive oil to a pan on medium heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper and cook, untouched, for 2 minutes on each side or until golden and just cooked through. Set aside.

Add another drizzle of olive oil to the pan and add spinach. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooked edamame and toss. Add to serving bowl, and fold in lemon juice and parmesan. Serve alongside scallops. Enjoy!